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SINGLE MOTHER OF TWO

Who is Gayle King’s ex-husband William Bumpus?

BROADCAST journalist Gayle King has been the co-hosting CBS' flagship morning program CBS This Morning since 2012.

The Maryland native and mother of two also joined The Oprah Magazine as an editor in 1999.

Broadcast journalist Gayle King
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Broadcast journalist Gayle KingCredit: Getty

Who is Gayle King's ex-husband William Bumpus?

From 1982 to 1993, was married to William Bumpus.

Together the couple , their eldest daughter Kirby, and their son William Bumpus Jr.

Bumpus is a UK-born lawyer who eventually moved to the United States and became the assistant attorney general of . 

According to , Bumpus’ net worth is reportedly over $20 million.

Gayle King and her two kids, Kirby and William Bumpus Jr
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Gayle King and her two kids, Kirby and William Bumpus JrCredit: Getty

Why did they divorce?

King says her marriage ended after she caught her husband in bed with another woman.

During a 2006 episode of her past  with as a guest, King talked about what her marriage was like and how she was feeling now.

"I was married to a cheater," she said, "I went to marital counseling. I have been divorced since 1993, so I'm all healed and everything. I have worked it out. I'm not bitter. I'm OK. I'm really OK."

After she joked in 2016 about what happened decades before, Bumpus issued a public apology.

"I have been haunted with this life altering choice," he told  at the time in a statement.

King divorced her ex-husband William Bumpus after she caught him cheating on her
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King divorced her ex-husband William Bumpus after she caught him cheating on herCredit: Getty

"Though I have dealt with this privately, I publicly apologize for the major transgression that dramatically changed all of our lives.

"I have nothing but the utmost respect for Gayle and how she handled herself with grace.

"Despite the situation, she kept our children, as well as my relationship and involvement with them, as a clear priority," Bumpus said.

He would add: "I continue to be a work in progress and have spent the last 26 years striving to be a better man and father. I applaud Gayle's continued phenomenal success and friendship!"

King had joked about the incident while filling out a questionnaire, according to .

She had been asked what living person she detested the most.

"I'm not a huge fan of the woman who I caught naked with my now ex-husband on June 24, 1990, at 9:16 p.m., but I don't remember the details," she answered.

King has been co-hosting CBS' flagship morning program CBS This morning since 2012
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King has been co-hosting CBS' flagship morning program CBS This morning since 2012Credit: Getty

Are Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey close friends?

King is known for her close friendship with .

In an August 2006 issue of O, , both King and Winfrey opened up about their friendship.

"Something about this relationship feels otherworldly to me, like it was designed by a power and a hand greater than my own," Oprah said.

"Whatever this friendship is, it's been a very fun ride - and we've taken it together."

The two became close friends after meeting in 1976, while they were both employed at Baltimore's WJZ station.

"We became friends that first night because for the first time, I met somebody who I felt was like me," King said.

Gayle King is known for her close friendship with Oprah Winfrey
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Gayle King is known for her close friendship with Oprah WinfreyCredit: Getty

"I'd never met anybody like that. Certainly not another Black girl. I grew up in an all-white community."

The two explained that both of them could relate to the fact that even their musical tastes put them at odds with peers.

"It's that whole being-the-odd-girl-out thing - we didn't fit in to everybody else's perception of what it's like to be a Black girl," Winfrey said.

While King added: "But we still had a very strong sense of being Black and were very proud of being Black. So to meet another Black girl like that was, wow!"

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What is Gayle King's net worth?

According to , is currently estimated to sit at $40million. 

King's first contract at CBS saw her rake in $5.5million per year, before she renegotiated in 2019 a bumper new contract which raised her yearly salary to $11million. 

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